New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Tarawa`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Tarawa`, characterized by its flat and rounded red-colored flowers; freely flowering habit; outwardly spreading, rounded and mounding growth habit; and dark green, slightly glossy, non-variegated foliage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, known by the name `Kirawa`, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Tarawa`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new varieties that have a uniform plant habit, attractive flower colors, good flower form and numerous flowers per plant.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made bythe inventor of a proprietary seedling selection identified as R556 as the male, or pollen parent, with the proprietary seedling selection identified as O419 as the female, or seed patent. The cultivar Tarawa was discovered and selected by the inventot as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Tarawa`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `Tarawa` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat and rounded red-colored flowers.

2. Freely flowering habit.

3. Outwardly spreading, rounded and mounding growth habit.

4. Dark green, slightly glossy, non-variegated foliage.

The new New Guinea Impatiens is similar in flower color to the New Guinea Impatiens cultivar `Lanai` (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,397). However in side-by-side comparisons in Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the New Guinea Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar `Lanai` in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are more outwardly spreading and rounded than plants of the cultivar `Lanai`.

2. Plants of the new Guinea Impatiens have dark red stems whereas plants of the cultivar `Lanai` have green stems with red streaks.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Guinea Impatiens are not as glossy as leaves of plants of the cultivar `Lanai`.

4. Lower surfaces of mature leaves of plants of the new Guinea Impatiens are grayed red in color whereas lower surfaces of mature leaves of the cultivar `Lanai` are light green.

5. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar `Lanai`.

6. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are larger, flatter and more rounded than flowers of plants of the cultivar `Lanai`.

7. Peduncles of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are longer than peduncles of plants of the cultivar `Lanai`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens and the cultivar `Lanai` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of `Tarawa`.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of typical flowers and upper (left) and lower (right) surfaces of leaves of the varieties `Lanai` (top) and `Tarawa` (bottom).

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

The cultivar `Tarawa` has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotpe may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown 10-cm pots in Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 23 to 29 C. and night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18 C. and light levels averaging 3,000 footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.--Impatiens hawkeri `Tarawa`.

Commercial.--New Guinea Impatiens cv. `Tarawa`.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Proprietary seedling selection R556.

Female parent.--Proprietary seedling selection O419.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 15 days with 21 C. soil temperature.

Plant description:

Plant form.--Outwardly spreading, rounded, mounding.

Growth habit.--Moderately vigorous. Moderate branching. Suitable for 10 to 25-cm containers.

Plant size.--Height: About 26 cm. Width or spread: About 28 cm.

Lateral branches.--Quantity: About five. Size: Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Internode length: 3.5 to 4 cm. Color: Darker than 59A.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, opposite or in whorls of three, horizontal to plant and flat in aspect. Size, largest leaves: Length: 11 to 11.5 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm. Shape: Ovate with acuminate apex, attenuate base and ciliate margin. Texture: Smooth, slightly glossy. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 59A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Grayer than 59C. Venation, upper surface: 59B. Venation, lower surface: 59A. Petiole: Size: Length: 2.5 to 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Color: 60A,

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Red-colored flowers. Freely and continuously flowering, Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually eight to ten flowers per lateral branch. Flowers positioned at or just above the foliage and face outward. Flowers flat and rounded. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower size.--Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Depth: About 4 mm.

Flower buds.--Size: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 44A.

Petals.--Quantity: Five Size (largest petals): Length: Top petal: About 3 cm. Middle petals: About 3.2 cm. Bottom petals: About 4 cm. Width: Top petal: About 5 cm. Middle petals: About 3.5 cm. Bottom petals: About 4.2 cm. Shape: Cordate with emarginate apex, cuneate or obtuse base and entire margin. Texture: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: Iridescent, slightly brighter than 44A. When opening, lower surface: Iridescent, 44B. Fully opened, upper surface: Iridescent, 43A, with 57B at base. Top petal has center streaking of 47B/47C. Fully opened, lower surface: Iridescent, 44B. Fading to: Color does not fade.

Spur.--Length: About 5.2 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: Proximal: 60A. Distal tip: 59A.

Peduncles.--Length: About 5.4 cm. Angle: Outward. Strength: Strong. Color: 60A

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused, filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther size: 6 by 4 mm. Anther color: 15C. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Creamy white. Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Gynoecium length: About 5 mm. Gynoecium color: 59A.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance nor susceptibility to pathogens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production is not usually observed.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHARACTERISTIC `TARAWA'       `LANAI'                                          ______________________________________                                         GROWTH HABIT   Outwardly spreading,                                                                          Upright, open,                                                  rounded, and mounding                                                                         mounding                                         PLANT HEIGHT   About 26 cm    About 28 cm                                      PLANT WIDTH    About 28 cm    About 26 cm                                      NUMBER OF LATERAL                                                                             About 5        About 7                                          BRANCHES                                                                       LATERAL BRANCH About 12 cm    About 13 cm                                      LENGTH                                                                         LATERAL BRANCH About 1.1 cm   About 8 mm                                       DIAMETER                                                                       INTERNODE LENGTH                                                                              3.5 to 4 cm    About 6 cm                                       STEM COLOR     Darker than 59A                                                                               147C with 59C                                                                  streaks                                          LEAF LENGTH    11 to 11.5 cm  About 10 cm                                      LEAF TEXTURE   Smooth, slightly glossy                                                                       Smooth, glossy                                   LEAF COLOR, YOUNG,                                                                            Darker than 147A                                                                              137A                                             UPPER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR, YOUNG,                                                                            59A            137C                                             LOWER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR, MATURE,                                                                           147A           147A                                             UPPER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR, MATURE,                                                                           Grayer than 59C                                                                               147C                                             LOWER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF VENATION COLOR,                                                                          59B            63C/63D                                          UPPER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF VENATION COLOR,                                                                          59A            63B                                              LOWER SURFACE                                                                  PETIOLE COLOR  60A            50B                                              NUMBER OF FLOWERS                                                                             8 to 10        7 to 8                                           FLOWER ASPECT  Flat           Cupped                                           FLOWER SHAPE   Rounded        Rectangular                                      FLOWER LENGTH  About 6 cm     About 5 cm                                       FLOWER WIDTH   About 6 cm     About 5.2 cm                                     FLOWER DEPTH   About 4 mm     About 5 mm                                       PEDUNCLE LENGTH                                                                               About 5.4 cm   About 4 cm                                       PEDUNCLE ANGLE Outward        Most erect and                                                                 some outward                                     PEDUNCLE COLOR 60A            59C                                              FLOWER BUD COLOR                                                                              44A            46B                                              ______________________________________                                     

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Tarawa`, as illustrated and described. 